Tips on How to Cater for Vegans

Tips on How to Cater for Vegans. It seems only yesterday when vegans were heavily criticised with their way of living. But due to the increased awareness about the health benefits of veganism, almost 1% of Australians have successfully switched to a plant-based diet. In this day and age, ethical consumption and meat-free diets are not only trends but a way of life. Additionally, catering companies began offering vegan menus for corporate events as a result of this dietary shift.

In this article, we will give you some tips on how to cater for vegans.

Hire a catering company that specializes in formulating 100% pure plant-based menus if you want to introduce veganism at work.

What is veganism?

In general, veganism focuses on not using animals for food, clothing, or other necessities.

There are many motivations as to why Australians are making a conscious shift to veganism:

• Animal welfare

Vegans believe that all living creatures have the right and freedom to live. By reducing animal exploitation and cruelty, vegans live harmoniously with their environment. They only choose to consume plants and plant-based products to reduce their contribution to the slaughtering of animals.

• Health

There are also individuals who switch to a vegan for health reasons. There are many studies that reveal a plant-based diet is a clean and healthful means of fuelling the body. Plants are teeming in nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are crucial elements to achieve optimum health.

Plant-based food items are low in saturated fats, rich in fibre, and are loaded with antioxidants. Furthermore, a vegan diet reduces the risk of developing serious medical conditions including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer.

• Eco-conscious food consumption

The animal industry contributes a large percentage of CO2 emissions. The growing demand for crops that are essential to feed animals has resulted in big-scale deforestation. Increasingly, forests are being cut down to make way for farms that raise poultry, cows, and pigs.

By switching to a vegan diet, people are actively doing their part to reduce the demand for such an exploitative industry.

Vegan Catering Ideas

Now that we have a deeper understanding of why more Australians are opting for a vegan lifestyle, let’s look at how you can apply this at a larger setting. For instance, you are tasked to organise a luncheon for colleagues, bosses, and clients. But here is the catch, you need to come up with a nutritious menu for the event that caters for vegans and gluten free. If this is the case, we highly recommend that you consider a purely vegan menu.

Due to the increasing demand for quality vegan meals for large groups, catering companies have done their due diligence coming up with their own corporate plant based vegan menus. This is perfect for people who want to try something new and nutritious to serve at social gatherings.

When creating a vegan menu with a catering provider, here are some vegan basics that you need to know:

• You don’t need to hire a separate catering company for a vegan menu

Reputable catering service companies such as Square Catering have chefs that are knowledgeable and skilled in the preparation of vegan meals. The increasing demand for vegan dishes for corporate events has already led caterers to prepare well-planned menus. Vegan catering is now becoming mainstream, so you won’t have a hard time looking for one if the need arises.

• Meatless dishes are just as scrumptious and mouth-watering as conventional meals with meat, dairy, and eggs

There are also vegan versions of most traditional dishes served by catering companies. Just a few tweaks on the ingredients and you can get a vegan version of almost anything. Some classic party favourites that can be served vegan style are eggplant lasagne, vegan meatballs and spaghetti, vegan Buffalo wings, vegan bacon, mushroom burgers, and plant-based sushi rolls among many others.

Guests with food sensitivities, such as lactose intolerance, can enjoy meatless and plant-based versions of classic dishes. If you are the organiser for the next corporate party, make sure to be considerate with the menu. Take the time to ask your guests if they have food allergies, sensitivities, or strict diets after confirming their attendance. If a good number of your guests are vegan, you can simply request your preferred catering company to create a separate batch of menu for them.

Tips on How to Cater for Vegans: Vegan Catering Food Recommendations

When coming up with a creative and delicious menu for your next corporate event, here are things worthy trying out:

• Do not forget the staples

Your base should be flexible, so you can use it to create different types of dishes. For instance, you may choose quinoa as base and then build a reasonable number of dishes around it. Quinoa is a fantastic base for salads, wraps, and even desserts.

• Spruce up a classic

To avoid alienating meat-eating guests at a corporate party, you can jazz up classic dishes and make them vegan. You also need to bear in mind that some of the more popular mainstream food items are naturally vegan without trying. For instance, several variations of burritos are 100% vegan. Plant-based substitutes can be used for both the pasta and cheese components to make macaroni and cheese a vegan dish.

• Never forget to serve salad

In traditional catering services, greens are only optional items for those who are watching their weight or those who are serious health nuts. But give your corporate event guests something fresh by creating a salad station where they can create their customised bowls. Make sure to include as many classic and and creative ingredients to the station to make it more interactive and fun.

If you want to discover our exciting vegan catering menus, call our direct line to schedule an appointment with us! Hope to hear from you soon!